Winter Conversations
by Marvelous Mad Madam Mimzy
Summary: The most interesting things can happen in dreams. No Flames.


**I had always wondered what the world would be like in the point of view of a mouse. I imagined it must have been scary for them since they were so very small and we clumsy humans (or the Big Animals as they refer to us) are quite large and loud. I soon got my wish when I fell asleep after watching videos of my favorite anthro mice and dreamt of meeting one of my favorite rat villains of all time. I soon had a second encounter with him on the eve of my 18th birthday. This is that encounter.**

Mouse London was much prettier when it wasn't covered in dreary fog. In fact, I liked the winter setting much more than the rainy foggy streets I had seen in the film. I sat on a bench, warming my hands up, and admiring the scenery when I heard a familiar voice speak up to me.

"Mind if I rest here?" I looked up from my hands and my eyes grew big. Professor Ratigan was standing in front of me wearing a long black coat and a purple and pink striped scarf in place of his cravat. He even wore his top hat. He was leaning heavily on his golden nail cane, and noticing this, I nodded. He flashed me a quick smile showing off all of those sharp teeth and he sat next to me. "You're that young lady who helped me at the clock tower." He said finally, glancing at me. I smiled shyly at him. I get shy around people very easily. I guess a giant anthro rat was no different.

"Yeah. What are you doing here?" I asked. He shrugged.

"Nothing really. I thought I'd go for a walk in the park. The weather was nice enough for it." I looked up at him.

"You do that often?" I said, wondering how he never managed to get himself caught. It was broad daylight after all.

"As often as I can. It's not everyday I can take a walk without some fool thinking that I'm up to no good." He replied. I raised an eyebrow at him.

"ARE you up to no good?" Surprisingly, he laughed at that.

"Why are you so suspicious?" He teased me. I smiled back at him, quoting one of my favorite Sherlock Holmes adaptations.

"Shall I answer chronologically, or alphabetically?" He laughed again.

"I suppose that's a fair observation. But I can assure you my dear, that I am not here to cause any mischief, no matter what Basil might say." I narrowed my eyes at him.

"I'd take your word for it if I wasn't sure who you were, but since you're the Moriarty to Basil's Sherlock, I'm not certain if I can trust you." He looked surprised.

"If you are so untrusting of me, then why did you take the time to help me when I had fallen? If you were as suspicious of me as you are now, the outcome is simply illogical." I thought back to my previous encounter with the Professor. Why did I want to help him?

"I helped you because...because no one else was going to. I figured that if someone was kind to you, you'd stop being such a jerk." He seemed to think that over.

"Ah, so you assumed that I would reform?" I shook my head.

"You once said that you were past redemption. I just thought you'd be a little less inclined to kidnap me, or threaten me, or hold me for ransom..." he held up a gloved hand.

"I understand, my dear. It's only natural to be looking out for your best interests."

"And, despite the fact that I shouldn't, I actually rather like you." He looked bewildered for a moment.

"I beg your pardon?" I looked up at him again.

"I like you. I don't really know why, I guess I find you amusing." He tipped his head to one side. With the hat on, it was rather adorable.

"Is that so? What about me do you find so amusing?" I shrugged.

"I don't know. Everything, I suppose. Minus the penchant for drowning widows and orphans." He looked rather uncomfortable.

"You are aware of the the fact that the particular incident you're referring to is a rumor, correct?" I was confused.

"Really? You didn't drown widows and orphans?" He nodded.

"Indeed I did not, but you can't tell that to anyone, you hear? A fake reputation is all I have really." He said with a smile. I arched an eyebrow.

"You LIE. I know that you're capable of doing really evil things. The Diamond Jubilee ring any bells?" He frowned.

"Ah yes. My greatest defeat. Many are fond of reminding me of that night, though I hadn't expected it of you." I shrugged.

"Maybe you shouldn't have lost your temper like that. If you kept your head, Mouse London would be a lot different right now." I looked back at him. "Item 96 made me laugh. I wasn't sure if you were serious or if you were joking. You must really hate children." He nodded.

"I hate most of them. They insist on bothering me with silly questions and a few of them have the audacity to call me a rat!" I blew my hair out of my face. It was about time I addressed one of his biggest pet peeves.

"You really ought to embrace your inner rat, Professor. They aren't that bad, you know. They're much smarter and better than mice in my opinion." Instead of getting angry, like I was expecting, he looked a bit...sad.

"Ah, but not everyone in Mouse London shares that sentiment, my dear. It is rather hard to be a rat, and I prefer being referred to as a mouse. It makes things so much easier." I tilted my head.

"What's so hard about being a rat?" Again, he looked sad and he went very quiet.

"Almost everything is harder when you're constantly thought of as being a vicious brute with no concept of civility or intelligence." He said softly. He sounded wistful, and a hint of loneliness crept into his voice. He looked so glum that I wrapped him up in a big hug. He looked down at me in shock, both ears pricked down.

"I don't think that about you or any other rat I've met. In my experience, rats are lovely intelligent animals who usually get a bad name because their fleas decided to spread a nasty bout of the plague." I had succeeded in making him laugh again and it made me feel better too. And, unlike Basil, he didn't seem to mind that I was hugging him. Basil usually pushed me away and rolled his eyes in exasperation whenever I (or anyone else for that matter) tried to hug him. But the Professor merely sat there, and out of the corner of my eye, I could have sworn I saw him smile softly. After a while, he stood up, then chivalrously offered his hand to me. Smiling at him, I took it and thanked him as he stood me up.

"I'd best be on my way now." He said after taking out his watch and examining it. "I haven't been caught yet, and I certainly don't plan on starting now." I was a little disappointed that our talk was going to be cut short, but I understood. Criminal masterminds have to be careful when they take walks. He looked down at me with a smile. "Then again," he said tipping his hat to me. "I suppose I could escort you back to Baker Street. It's the least I can do for the nice young lady who helped me out of a tight spot." I blushed a little. He could charm anyone if he had a mind to. He offered me his arm and I took it. We headed to Baker Street together, with his hat pulled over his eyes and his scarf wrapped around his muzzle. The only thing that would give him away would be his long serpentine tail that swayed behind him. When we reached the appropriate number (221 B for those interested), he stooped and kissed my cheek. I blushed, and looked at the ground but he tipped my chin up with a gloved hand. He was smiling at me.

"Until we meet again, my dear." He said with a wink. I smiled back at him shyly, waved goodbye, and headed to the door. When I turned to glance back at him one last time, the Napoleon of Crime had vanished.

**Dedicated to ALS123, whose dreams gave me the courage to pen down my own**


End file.
